It is the first Moroccan tea house in marrakech, serving 12 teas from the 12 areas of Morrocco.
Set inside a former riad, it is a beautiful place to come and sample the 12 delicious teas on offer, along with modern oriental cakes.
There is table service, and the food is nicely presented, tasty, and varied.
There is a selection of light snacks to accompany your choice of tea available on the menu also.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
The name 1112 signifies the date 1700 in the gregorian calendar and is etched into the wooden ceiling of the riad.
The riad was beautifully restored by a morroccan family who have been renowned for their expertise in the restoration of such properties since the 1990s.
The architecture is beautiful. Wooden ceilings, intricate tile work, and exotic plants make it a delightful environment for sitting and reflecting on the past history of the importance of tea in Morrocco.
There are interesting facts about the introduction of tea into Morocco and a shop selling nicely packaged tea if you’re looking for a gift to take home with you.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
1112 has a nice rooftop.
After exploring the museum, it is worthwhile taking a look around this exquisite riad and savouring the whole experience.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
Situated close to Ben Youssef, the address is;
12 Place De La Kissariat, Ben Youssef,
Marrakech.
They are open for breakfast and lunch.
What a lovely way to begin the day, or take a peaceful break from exploring the busy medina..
Kafe Merstan restaurant and rooftop terrace is located near the spice square and vegetable market in the medina.
They serve traditional Morroccan food, and prices are very reasonable.
I had one of the tastiest tagines here, and the overall quality of the food was good.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
It’s popular during sunset, and tourists arrive to watch the sun go down from the pretty rooftop.
It’s quite a spectacular sight, therefore it can get busy during this time of evening.
The interior is traditional with a fairly modern twist.
Colourful soft furnishings and rattan light fittings give a homely, boho vibe.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
The food is competitively priced, and the little restaurant is clean and humble.
Seating is upstairs on the rooftop, so people with mobility issues may not find it easy to access.
Payment is by card or cash. However, there’s a minimum of 200 MAD for card payment.
The address for Kafe Merstan is 2 Souk Chaaria Kast Benahid, Marrakech 40000.
Opening hours are 12.00 until
10.00pm.
The restaurant is close to the Madrasa Ben Youssef and Museum of Marrakech, so it’s in a strategic position and ideal for taking a break from sightseeing.
Kafe Merstan offers a good selection of vegetarian dishes, including a very tasty vegetable pastilla.
It’s an ideal spot for lunch.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Cafe Merstan may give you the impression of a ‘no frills’ restaurant, but the food was exceptionally good.
Marrakech is a culinary delight for all foodies out there.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
The streets of Marrakech are abundant with fresh, seasonal vegetables and fruit.
There are herbs and spices galore everywhere you look.
The aromatic fragrance of street food fills the air, tempting the tastebuds.
Fine restaurants with impeccable service, in beautiful surroundings, call out to you to come inside and sample their cuisine.
But where do you start?
What do you order?
If you’re anything like me, you may want to fully immerse yourself in the culture of places you’re visiting.
I particularly enjoy sampling the signature dishes of places I visit and eating the same food that the locals do.
It’s a way to get to know the culture, and food is a big part of life in Morrocco.
The locals are very hospitable people and often invite tourists home for a meal with their family.
If you get the chance, go it’s the best way to gain understanding of the people and their hospitality.
So,with an overwhelming choice of food to choose from, you may need a little help to decide what to try..
Images by Freebird Tracey.
The two most popular dishes in Marrakesh are tagine and couscous.
Tagine is the name of the clay or ceramic pot that the dish is cooked in.
It consists of layers of fresh vegetables,with meat in the centre.
Chicken or lamb is the most popular.
Often, dates, olives, fresh lemon, and spices are added for flavour, and everyone has their own personal recipe for making a tagine.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
Couscous is a grain made from semolina and served with meat and vegetables.
It is eaten religiously on Fridays.
In Jamaa El Fna, you will find sheeps head and snails for sale.
Tourists are targeted by street food vendors to try snails, and those who actually do say that they quite enjoyed the experience.
Apparently, the broth that they’re cooked in is quite tasty, and although it’s an unusual tasting dish, it’s not inedible.
Sheeps head is for the brave amongst us, but it appears to be popular in the main square and a regular sight on display during the evening.
The locals sit at street stalls eagerly munching on the spit roasted mutton, enjoying every morsel.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Every dish is served with traditional bread in Marrakech. It is freshly baked each morning and delicious served warm.
Tangier is also a popular dish.
It is meat (usually lamb), cooked very slowly in the embers of the local hammam.
Traditionally, the tangier is taken to the hammam early in the morning and left to cook throughout the day.
It is then collected and served for dinner with vegetables or bread.
The meat is incredibly tender and simply falls off the bone.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
There are plenty of street food vendors in the medina, tucked away in the souks.
They serve really good quality food and it’s cheap.
Ideal for travellers on a tighter budget.
There is a row of street food vendors who only sell tangiers, and this is very popular with locals and tourists alike.
The area gets busy as people queue for a vessel of succulent lamb tipped out onto a plate ready for devouring.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Taking a street food tour is a great way to get to try the best places.
There are several tours available during the daytime or evening, and tourists get the chance to sample authentic Moroccan cuisine with a registered guide.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Marrakech caters to vegetarians and vegans also, with a good choice of quality food including excellent salads, delicious vegetable tagine, pastilla, and couscous.
Pigeon is also widely eaten in Marrakech and traditionally used as a filling in pastilla.
Then there are the camel burgers, popular at The Clock restaurant in the kasbah.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
Several Italian restaurants in the medina offer excellent pizzas and pasta dishes if you fancy a change from morroccan food.
Olives are served with tea and other beverages as a complimentary side dish.
They can be spicy or plain, always fresh, and the perfect aperitif.
They are deliciously fresh when bought straight from the vendors themselves.
Don’t hesitate to try some. They are truly amazing.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
The sweets and pastries in Marrakech are incredibly good, and the desserts served after the main course of a meal are beautiful.
Moroccans have a sweet tooth as you will probably gather from the breakfasts.
The choice on most menus is really good and varied.
There’s no point watching your waistline here..
Dates are hugely popular, and medjool dates are known as ‘ fruits of the King’, so make sure to try some.
You won’t be disappointed.
Fresh fruit is for sale everywhere around the medina and incorporated into tantalising sweet dishes that make your mouth water.
NB: I have written a separate article about smoothies and juices in Marrakesh.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Marrakech is a dream come true for people who love their food.
With so much to choose from and so many different dishes and flavours to try, you would need months to eat your way through it all.
Not only is there a great variety of interesting and tasty food, but it’s beautifully presented too.
Imagine sitting in a tranquil, setting, next to exotic plants, and trickling fountains.
That’s my experience of eating in Marrakesh..
Image by Freebird Tracey.
The way to get to know people and their culture is through their food.
Marrakech is no exception.
Be open to getting out of your comfort zone and give some of the traditional Moroccan dishes a go..
Whilst it’s true that Marrakech is a meat eaters’ paradise, there are plenty of great restaurants and cafes serving vegetarian and vegan food.
Not being a meat eater myself, I was initially concerned that I’d spend my time in Marrakesh living off the delicious olives on sale in the souks.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
I was pleasantly surprised.
There are a number of restaurants popping up that serve only vegetarian and vegan food.
One I highly recommend is La Famille.
Run solely by women, and in a pleasant outdoor setting, the food here was incredibly good.
The menu was small and creative and changed regularly to keep it exciting.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
There are plenty of choices for non meat eaters on the menu in most restaurants and cafes around the medina.
Sumptuous vegetable tagine, vegetable couscous, salads, and pasta dishes, to name just a few.
I never had a problem sourcing tasty and beautifully prepared meals whilst staying in Marrakesh.
The smaller cafes tucked away in the souks were slightly less accommodating, but if it’s a quick snack you’re looking for, the fresh olives and delicious pastries are a wonderful treat.
In the more luxurious restaurants, there is a good deal of variety for vegetarians and vegans.
The abundance of freshly cooked seasonal vegetables is mouth wateringly delicious.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
Harissa soup was also a favourite of mine, deliciously tasty, served with traditional Morroccan bread.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
I highly recommend trying the soup.
Some restaurants serve a healthy brunch.
I loved the avocado toast at La Ferme and again at Mandala Society.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
The Clock in the kasbah does a really nice vegetable pastilla.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Please don’t be put off visiting Marrakech because you consider it to be a meat eaters paradise only.
By doing a little bit of research before travelling, you will find a good selection of fine restaurants and cafes serving authentic and traditional Morroccan cuisine that don’t include animal products.
A few I recommend are;
. La Famille
. La Ferme
. Enjoy your meal
Veggie Lovers.
. Mandala Society.
. Broc The Kasbah.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Palais Donab also does a lovely vegetable tagine, and it’s a beautiful place to have lunch or dinner.
I have written a separate article about Palais Dar Donab.
Write down the restaurants you wish to try before travelling, including their address and opening times.
This will save wandering around in the heat, looking for places suitable for your dietary preference.
A place of serenity and calm in the middle of the souks.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
It’s a hidden gem, a peaceful retreat from the madness of the souks, and Jamaa el Fna.
Le Jardin Secret is a little oasis with exotic plants and flowers where you can sit and enjoy calm, beautiful surroundings, listening to the birds in the trees.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
There is a beautifully painted pergoda in the centre, for sitting in the shade.
Le Jardin Secret boasts two attractive large gardens and has one of the highest towers in the medina.
There is a museum, a boutique, and two coffee shops on site for light refreshments.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Le Jardin Secret dates back 400 years ago to the Saadian dynasty and was left to decay before being discovered and renovated in the nineteenth century.
It is a perfect example of Islamic art and architecture, and you can read all about its history inside the museum.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
The gardens are simply beautiful with Cacti, palm trees, and other exotic plants, flowers, and shrubs.
The sound of birdsong and the resident toads in the little pond feels like a world away from the busy souks outside the walls.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
As you wander around the tranquil gardens, you forget you are inside the busy medina, dodging motorcycles and donkey carts.
There are plenty of benches dotted around the gardens to sit and enjoy the tranquillity and beauty that surrounds you.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Le Jardin Secret is located at,
121 Rue Mouassine
Marrakech 40030 Morocco.
Opening times vary depending on the time of the year.
It costs 100 dirhams to enter and it is wheelchair user-friendly.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
The cafe has a good selection of sandwiches, pizzas and salads.
Fruit and vegetable smoothies, tea and coffee, and homemade cakes.
To get the most peaceful experience from your visit, try going early in the daytime before the gardens become too busy with tourists.
Smoothies can be found everywhere in Marrakesh. They are one of the healthiest, most vibrant, refreshing drinks in the medina.
Using the freshest fruit from the local market and packed with nutritional goodness, smoothies are the perfect start to the day.
There is no shortage of exotic fruits and vegetables in Marrakech.
The markets are alive with colour.
I regularly go for detoxifying smoothies for their positive health benefits and as a pick me up after a long, hot day exploring the medina.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Literally, everything goes into making a perfect smoothie, and in Marrakech, they seem to have perfected the art.
Fresh fruit, dried nuts, spiralina, cucumber, avocado, berries, banana, and spinach are just some of the healthy ingredients that are blended together to make the perfect smoothie.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
Fresh juice is also a popular choice amongst tourists who need something to quench their thirst in the hot African sun.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice is tangy and exhilarating.
Served with fresh mint, it’s both aromatic and a real taste sensation.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Orange juice made from freshly picked oranges off the trees around the medina is a breakfast staple.
It is sunshine in a glass.
Mixed fruit juice is a favourite sold by the vendors in the main square.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
My absolute favourite is the freshly squeezed pomegranate juice.
It is a refreshing tonic and gives me a boost of energy.
I was flagging in the heat during a hike around Ouzoud Waterfall, and pomegranate juice instantly hit the spot.
I felt revitalised again..
Image by Freebird Tracey.
The fruit juice vendors in the main square call you over to sample their mango and pineapple juice.
They use carefully crafted banter to draw you towards them with many competing for business.
They have a selection of exotic fruits to try, and it’s exciting watching them make it for you.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
There are a few places I can recommend where you can enjoy a refreshing juice or healthy smoothie..
Pikala Cafe has an excellent choice, and it’s a great little spot.
I have written a separate post about Pikala Cafe.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Le Ferme Medina.
Henna Art Cafe.
La Famille (vegetarian restaurant)
All offer comfortable, attractive surroundings for a peaceful break from sightseeing and a pleasant way to get some vitamin C.
There are also plenty of rooftop restaurants around the main square to enjoy a well-deserved rest whilst sipping a refreshing cold juice or fruit smoothie and watching the action from above.
Sugarcane juice is widely available around the medina, also.
It is important to stay hydrated whilst out and about in the medina.
The temperature is very warm and humid.
I can not underestimate the power of a bottle of water, and you should always carry one with you, but for a healthy, refreshing treat, consider trying some of the wonderful juices and smoothies also.
The vitamins and minerals are necessary to function for the hectic, busy schedule you may have planned.
Remember, there may still be a high sugar content, so moderation is key.
A popular restaurant where booking a table is essential.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Cafe Arabe is a popular destination for people looking for Italian and Morroccan cuisine.
It is open all day serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The open-air restaurant has a rooftop overlooking the medina and comfortable seating in the large patio area.
The incredible views of the sunset draw people in to enjoy a cocktail on the rooftop, and it gets booked up very quickly.
I stopped by for a refreshing smoothie and a break from the intensity of the souks and the heat.
I was given breadsticks and olives to accompany it,
Image by Freebird Tracey.
I enjoyed looking out over the rooftops of the medina whilst relaxing and cooling off.
There was no pressure to order anything to eat, and I appreciated the relaxed energy of this busy restaurant during mid afternoon.
I decided to book a meal for later in the evening because the vibe was good inside the restaurant, and the food being served looked delicious.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
One thing I particularly liked was the decor.
The exotic green colour leading upstairs to the terrace is absolutely stunning.
This was my favourite part of the restaurant, I could have sat there all afternoon quite happily.
The bathroom is also very clean and well maintained.
Images by Freebird Tracey.
Returning later for a meal, it was incredibly busy.
The atmosphere was different.
There were people queuing to be seated and waiters rushing about trying to cope with the demand.
I ordered a margarita pizza, which was very tasty.
I also enjoyed a cold beer with olives whilst waiting for my food to arrive.
I would have liked a desert, but I didn’t have time to wait for its arrival, so I decided to try again another day.
I realised that due to the demand for seating at Cafe Arabe, booking is essential.
Image by Freebird Tracey.
Such is the demand for this popular restaurant, I tried booking a table for the following evening but it was full.
I would suggest booking a few days or possibly weeks in advance to guarantee a place.
The prices are pretty average considering the proximity to Jamaa El Fna, and the food was relatively good.
It was a little bit too busy for me during the evening, and not surprisingly, the waiters appeared to be slightly under pressure due to the number of people.
In Marrakech, there are so many wonderful restaurants to dine in, and I favour a more peaceful environment.
The food was nice, though, so I would be tempted to come back at lunchtime, perhaps when it’s less busy with tourists and the energy is more relaxing.
Cafe Arabe is open daily from 10.00am-12.00am
The address is,
184 Rue Mouassine
Marrakech 40000 Morocco
I would recommend booking a table for around 6.00pm. This is the best time to come before it gets too busy.
Sounds Of The Souks 